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What to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school relative to your Blacksburg residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Esthetician School Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the esthetician training program you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Blacksburg VA businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Blacksburg VA salon owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. Finally, contact the Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Blacksburg VA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you need.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So try to find other schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that he or she gets help in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with Blacksburg VA businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be available.